Cormac & Richard make history!

Cormac & Richard make history!

When we shot Cormac and Richard's day in September, we didn't know that it would turn out to Ireland's first legally enshrined same-sex marriage. Nor did they!

But we did know that we had just taken part in something extraordinary. Not because of what the law said, or didn't say. But because of the unequivocal love between Cormac and Richard, and the palpable joy of their families and friends. Their wedding was a glorious, heartfelt celebration. With top hats and canes. As you do :)

Cormac called me yesterday to tell me they had an appointment with the registrar this morning at 8.30am, to convert their civil partnership into a marriage. The first same sex marriage in Ireland!

We couldn't be more thrilled for the guys, and all their friends and family. Couldn't think of finer people to make the history books!

More on the story: Irish Times / Pink News

Lauren & Garrett - Wedding on the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Lauren & Garrett's Wedding on the Cliffs of Moher and The Burren, County Clare.

We will be eternally grateful to Buzzfeed, whose interview with us was spotted by two amazing human beings, Lauren & Garrett, at home in Oklahoma.

And then somehow they're here, in Ireland, getting married. On the Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare. And I'm there shooting it with them. And I'm moved by this day in ways that I'm barely able to articulate. What it meant to them, and their families and friends... And what it came to mean to me, to be a very small part of their story. I'll have to leave it to the photos to do the talking this time...

There was also the small matter of the car accident with Lauren on board. And the bit where I enthusiastically grabbed an electric fence to prove it was safe - which it wasn't - and vibrated for the rest of the day.

But it's not these small dramas that I'll remember Lauren and Garrett's wedding for. It's the good kind people that they are that's left a mark, and the grit and the love that has brought them together.

Rangefinder Magazine - 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography 2015

Rangefinder Magazine - 30 Rising Stars

So, a surprising and rather brilliant thing has happened. We've been chosen by US magazine, Rangefinder, as one of their 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography in 2015. Like, in the world!

To which we replied - wowowowowow... wow!! We still can't quite believe it!!

We can't really put into words what this means to us. To be in the running you have to be nominated. By whom, we don't know, but we'll love you forever. After that, submissions are whittled down by an intimidating panel of editors and industry insiders. Being nominated to make a submission in the first place was pretty special. But to make the cut is just amazing.

We tried our best to be brave and submit images to Rangefinder that really represented what we felt we were about. We continue to be drawn to quietly enigmatic images, and moments that have an awkward beauty or humour. We're forever indebted to the couples who invite us into their lives, for trusting us to document such a major life event, and for being so fricking great to work with!

We feel very grateful to Rangefinder for spending time with our images. And for celebrating our little corner of the wedding world... Thank you, thank you.

Huge congratulations to everyone else on the list, including friends and comrades Tomasz Wagner & Sam Docker, and all the others whose work we have admired from afar... The full list of winners is here.

Our submission is above :)